


Break the Chain

by lifeschoices



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 11:49:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13270851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeschoices/pseuds/lifeschoices
Summary: Lord Vader comes across slavery in the newly-created Empire. When he confronts his Master on this issue, he isn't content with the answer he's given. There's only one thing he can do now...Inspired by the now Legends comic Dark Times.





	Break the Chain

**Author's Note:**

> In the comic after this occasion Vader never speaks to Palpatine on the issue of slavery again. I decided to explore the ramifications if he had actually wanted to fulfil his promise which he made so very long ago.
> 
> There are multiple flashback scenes here, all taken from various part of the movies. As such, credit to George Lucas for most of the flashback dialogue.
> 
> Enjoy, and please tell me what you think!

Commander Vill was currently trying to explain his reasoning to his commanding officer without breaking one of the many unspoken rules one had to follow around him, or risk being at the brunt end of his temper. He had now spent a month with his regiment trying to instil order on the planet of New Plympto, where there had been bloody fighting, sparked by ruthless Separatists who would stop at nothing to fracture the Empire, which was still in its early stages.

Even now the peace was shaky, and order could be shattered on a whim. Vill felt uncertain about leaving so soon, and was keen to express himself to his superior. He would clearly understand: it would no good to be complacent now and risk there being more uprising in future years.

“I… I’m certain that the Emperor has a plan, Commander. We will discuss it upon your return to Coruscant,” Lord Vader said.

“Yes, my Lord,” the Clone Trooper replied. “But I’m not sure of when the regiment and I will be back: our transport was re-tasked, by order of the Emperor.” In the deepest recesses of his mind Vill had his reservations – it was far too soon to leave New Plympto, and for this, of all things? But obedience to his masters was his duty, and so obey he would.

“Where was it sent?” Vader immediately jumped in. “Has new fighting broken out?” He knew that couldn’t be the case even as he said it, since the trooper had said “re-tasked”, meaning their new job involved something completely unrelated. But what could it be? Vader suddenly felt a surge of resentment. _What are you doing behind my back now, Master?_ It had only been a few short months since he had quashed his Jedi knowledge yet already Vader had witnessed countless schemes and plots under his nose, some orchestrated by Palpatine, others by power-hungry officials desperate for a piece of the glory. It enraged him. He was no politician and had no desire to insert himself into that sphere. His Master, however, clearly was. Vader wasn’t sure what annoyed him more: Palpatine’s manoeuvres or his blatant arrogance in taunting his politics-averse apprentice. Vill’s explanation cut into his dark thoughts.

“No, sir. The ship is transporting captured Nosaurian civilians to the slave market on Orvax IV. The prisoners were mostly females and younglings, so it was decided that they would be sold for profit rather than added to the Imperial workforce.”

The Commander’s words were greeted by silence. He almost felt that if Lord Vader’s respirator had the option to be soundless than it would be. _Oh no_ , he thought. _I’ve done something wrong, I’ve said something…_ his panicked thoughts continued whilst Vader was struck by a memory, from a long time ago, a time when he was naïve, and innocent. _Weak_ , he reminded himself. _Anakin Skywalker was weak, and I destroyed him._ Nevertheless, the images flashed before his eyes.

“I had a dream that I became a Jedi… and that I came back and freed all the slaves,” Anakin said. “Have you come to free us?”

Qui-Gon didn’t hesitate: “No. I’m afraid not,” he replied shortly. Anakin looked at him closely before shaking his head.

“I think you have… why else would you be here?”

_No, no, STOP_! Vader wrenched himself back into the control room on Coruscant. His mask and armour remained unmoved, the only hint of his turmoil being the clenched fists on either side with so much pressure that Vader could detect wires starting to fray as joints were overstretched. He remained silent for many moments.

“Lord Vader?” the Commander tentatively inquired. Vader snapped his head towards Vill. _This is it, I guess._ He was so engrossed in his preparations for what he thought would be his certain death that he almost missed Vader’s response.

“Understood. Report when you reach the system. Dismissed.” And then he disconnected the holocall, leaving Commander Vill staring into open space for longer than he would have liked to admit. _Weird_ , he thought. But then again, everything seemed to be with his superior. No background, no identity, no past. If it kept Vill alive he didn’t have a single problem with it staying that way.

_Slaves_. That seemed to be the only word Vader’s mind could conjure up. _Slaves_?

“…mostly females and younglings…sold for profit rather than added to the Imperial workforce.” Profit. Vader could remember a time when he had been profit, and then when all he wanted was some of his own, a time when profit was frowned upon. Skywalker had had a dream once. But what he didn’t know was that the Jedi didn’t free slaves – if anything, they were the slavers themselves. He’d swapped one form of servitude for another.

_So what is your existence now_? A part of his mind whispered, the part not burnt by the fires of Mustafar, the part which screamed every time his blood red lightsaber cut through another body, the part that replayed Padmé’s death by his hands over and over and –

His left ring finger gave way under the strain with an audible snap. It dangled uselessly, almost mocking him with the way it zig-zagged due to the broken parts. Vader felt no pain – it was, luckily or unluckily for him, impossible to sense anything he touched with his mechanical limbs. But there was something, crying out inside his mind, and he wasn’t sure whether this classed as pain or not because it was so piercing and it just wouldn’t stop.

He’d promised to free all the slaves once. He’d failed. Over and over again; a life destined for failure: to save those he cared about, to be strong, to break free.

_Through victory, my chains are broken_.

His broken metal finger pointed askew, out of line. Vader followed its trajectory to a silver chain connecting his cape to the rest of his armour. He stared at it for a long time, then, just as suddenly as he had ended the holocall with his Commander, he stormed out of the room. 

* * *

 

If the Emperor spotted Vader’s constant hiding of his left hand, he made no comment. Instead he gazed at his Apprentice in his usual – _condescending, just like the rest of them_ , that traitorous part of Vader’s mind murmured – way, seemingly considering his next command. It was a show of power, Vader had come to realise, often used in the political arena to make one feel as if the other waited upon them at all times. In Palpatine’s case that was true, and Vader had been reminded all too often of his place in this particular relationship.

“Ah, Lord Vader. I told you a new assignment would be forthcoming,” The Emperor began, chastising Vader’s impatience. “There is a matter on Murkhana which requires your attention… it involves Jedi.” The word was clearly used to rile Vader, and much to his annoyance it did, which only served to anger him even more. From the widening of Palpatine’s smirk, his plan had worked to a tee. When Vader remained silent for a few more seconds than correct in this circumstance, the Emperor’s brow furrowed momentarily.

“Something troubles you, apprentice?” he inquired, and just for a moment Vader saw a glimpse of the man the Emperor used to be, the kind old Chancellor always lending him a kind ear when he felt aggrieved, or angry, or betrayed. But then it was gone, all a pretence, and what was left was nothing more than a command. And so Vader duly obeyed.

“I heard from Commander Vill, on New Plympto…” he didn’t bother to fill in the rest, seeing as it was the Emperor himself who had re-tasked the Commander.

“Ah… I should have remembered,” the Emperor replied. “Anakin Skywalker was a slave – as was his mother.” He paused for a while, before turning away from Vader. “My apologies, Lord Vader, I should have explained the current situation sooner.”

Another pause, this one even longer than the last. It tested Vader’s patience severely, and all he could do was stand there, whilst his breathing equipment forced air in and out of his burnt lungs at a torturous pace.

“The slavery that exists in the lawless reaches of the Outer Rim is wrong,” The Emperor declared.

“I can’t believe there’s still slavery in the Republic.”

“The Republic doesn’t exist out here.” _And neither does the Empire_ , Vader suddenly realised.

“The trading in individuals’ lives and freedom for personal gain must end. And it will… in time.” Another test of his patience. He wasn’t sure how many more he could take.

“But what the Empire is doing on New Plympto – and elsewhere – is different. Unrepentant Separatists like the Nosaurians must be dealt with. Put to work, they will make a positive contribution to the Empire, and their lives will be spared. It is a merciful alternative to what would otherwise be necessary. I’m certain you understand.”

“The Emperor, he promised us peace!” The Separatist was cut down by a blue lightsaber, and his body joined the others on the floor, in Mustafar, in the Temple, and of all the planets he had visited since then.

“This is necessary for peace, my apprentice,” the Emperor had told him at the time. And so Lord Vader robbed Nute Gunray and his many companions of a ‘merciful alternative’.

_I understand perfectly, my Master._

**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is much appreciated!


End file.
